Ozone levels over Arctic are OK, researchers say

Ozone levels appear to be stable over the Arctic and not yet developing a hole like that over Antarctica, according to researchers. Scientists say the Arctic ozone has some natural protection due to the region's warmer temperatures, different geography and amounts of sunlight compared with its colder counterpart to the south. "The main difference is a few degrees of extra-cold temperature. Antarctica really is the coldest place on Earth. The few degrees of extra cooling make a big difference in how effectively you destroy ozone," said MIT atmospheric chemist Susan Solomon, lead author of the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.